Building material and house construction.



APPLICATION FILED APR.4. 1917- Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

ROBERT SIMONSON, OF MARIVELES, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

BUILDING MATERIAL AND HOUSE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Application filed April 4, 1917. Serial No. 159,771

'I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

My invention relates to improvements in building material intended more especially for use in tropical countries, and it is intended to provide a building material which is cool, cheap, sanitary and hygienic, moderately fireproof, capable of disinfection, and resistant to rodents and vermin.

My invention is especially intended to provide a cheap and durable substitute for the grass, palm leaves, and other vegetable material which is used largely in the manufacture of small houses in tropical countries.

My invention consists of a slab of any suitable form adapted to be used as a panel in the outer walls and also in the partitions between the rooms of buildings, and also in a modified form adapted to be used as a shin le for covering the roofs-or sides of said buildings. I

My invention will be more clearly understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a building with wooden frame-work and wall panels and shingles of my improved construction;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale showing one of the shingles, parts being broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view on a larger scale showing one of the panels used in making the outer walls or partitions of the buildings, parts being broken away.

A represents a building having any suitable supports 1 and horizontal beams 2, with vertical beams 3 forming rectangular openings which are filled with panels B of the des red shape, for instance, such as shown in Fig. 3. These panels may be held in place in any suitable way as by the well known beading.

The roof A and porch A are shown as covered with shingles made of slabs C, as

' shown in Fig. 2. In order to manufacture slabs for either the panels or the shingles, a

suitable open top mold having a flat bottom is provided, which is well greased internally, and into which is poured mortar 4, consisting of cement, sand and rice husks, the proportions being preferably about one volume of cement to one Volume of sand and one volume of rice husks, all mixed together with Water and poured in in the plastic state.

Upon this layer of mortar a reinforce is inserted, preferably in the form of a mat of split bamboo or ratan 5. composed of strips of bamboo or ratan preferably about 3 of an inch ofthickness. The said mat may be either woven or the strips of bamboo or ratan may be placed to cross each other on the lower layer of plastic material. Then the mortar, or similar material, is again poured into the mold in a layer 6, embedding the mat therein; and, above this, if desired a top layer of smooth sand 7 may be added to form a smooth clean surface; or, if desired, a similar mortar may be used from which the rice husks may be omitted to facilitate the smoothing down of the surface of the slab. The material thus made is cured by keeping it Wet for a suitable time, preferably about seven days, whereupon it is ready for use.

The slabs are ordinarily held in panels in the usual way; but if it is desired to have special attaching means, wire loops may be inserted such as are shown at 8 in Fig. 2, which may be connected by wires or other fastening means to the frame-work of the house. These loops preferably engage one or more strips of bamboo, and their ends are preferably masked in the body of the slab.

While I have shown a single mat for reinforcing the slab or shingle, it will be obvious that where thicker slabs 'are desired, there may be a plurality of mats or similar layers of reinforcing material, separated from each other by means of mortar con-. structed as herein described.

For economical manufacture multiple molds are preferably provided, on a platform of a single level; but the molds not being a part of my present invention will not be further described herein.

The rice husks have a rough. gritty exterior, containing more or less silica, which makes a strong bond with the mortar and the resultant product is a highly tenacious slab, which is comparatively light.

These rice husks have hitherto been conand they are especially adapted for use in the plastic compound hereinbefore referred to.

l do not mean to limit myself to the exact proportions of cement, sand and rice liusks, or to any particular thickness of slab, or to any particular arrangement of the bamboo or ratan reinforce therein, except-as set out.

in the claims Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesisz-- 1. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of cement, sand and rice husks, mixed together with Water and molded to the form desired, With flat strips of bamboo crossing each other and embedded therein and reinforcing same.

2. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of cement, sand and rice liusks, mixed together with water and molded to the form desired, with one or more layers of woven bamboo strips embedded therein and reinforcing same.

3. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of cement, sand and rice husks. mixed together with water and molded to the form desired, with a suitable reinforcing material embedded therein, said slab having a smooth surface coating of sand and cement applied thereto while in the wet state.

4t. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of cement, sand and rice huslrs, mixed together with water and molded to the form desired, with strips of bamboo embedded therein and reinforcing same, said slab having a smooth surface coating of sand and cement applied thereto while in the wetstate.

5. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of cement, sand and rice husks, mixed together with water and molded to the form desired, with one or more; layers of woven bamboo strips embedded therein and reinforcing same, said slab having a smooth surface coating ofsand and cement applied thereto while in the wet state.

6. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of substantially equal volumes of cement, sand and rice husks, mixed together with Water and molded to the form desired, with flat strips of bamboo crossing each other and embedded therein and reinforcing same.

7. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of substantially equal volumes of cement, sand and rice husks, mixed together with water and molded to the form desired, with one or more layers of woven bamboo strips embedded in the material and reinforcing same.

8. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of cement, sand and rice husks, mixed together with water and molded to the form desired, with strips of bamboo embedded therein and reinforcing same, with a wire loop having one end engaging one or more of said bamboo strips, and having the other end projecting beyond the face of the slab and serving as a means for attaching same to the building structure, substantially as described.

9. As an article of manufacture, a slab for use in building materials consisting of substantially equal volumes of cement, sand and rice huslrs, mixed together with water and molded to the, form desired, with strips of bamboo embedded therein and reinforcing same, with a Wire loop having one end engaging one or more of said bamboo strips, and having the other end projecting be yond the face of the slab and serving as a means for attaching same to the building structure, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I do aifix my signature.

ROBERT SIMONSUN. 

